Popeyes just ousted KFC as the second-biggest fried chicken chain. After a visit to both, I can see why it's superior to the Colonel's greasy, frozen dinner-inspired food.

Insider food correspondent Nancy Luna tests KFC and Popeyes.Nancy Luna/Insider

• KFC is losing ground to Popeyes, according to a Barclays report.
• Popeyes is now the No. 2 fried-chicken player, leapfrogging over KFC.

Popeyes and KFC are losing market share to Chick-fil-A. But the brand taking the biggest hit is KFC.

Popeyes is now the No. 2 fried-chicken player, leapfrogging over KFC, CNBC reports, citing market share research by Barclays.

In terms of sales, the race is tight. KFC and Popeyes are both logging more than $5 billion a year in sales, according to Technomic's latest Top 500 report.

But Popeyes, which is expanding rapidly across the US, is selling food with fewer locations in the US compared to KFC, according to Technomic. In 2022, Popeyes had nearly 3,000 restaurants in the US. KFC had nearly 4,000.

To settle this brand contest, I decided to put both chains to the test. I tried the same items found at each brand's menu: Fried chicken, chicken tenders, and a classic fried chicken sandwich.

I can see why KFC is on a downward spiral. The chicken served at KFC was so greasy, I had to take Tums to relieve my indigestion.

Here's what I discovered.

(Note: I visited stores in Santa Ana and Tustin, California. Prices may vary where you live.)